Prince Flex

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The Prince Flex is a Japanese 6×6 TLR, distributed from 1937 to 1939 by Fukada Shōkai and perhaps made by Neumann & Heilemann.[1]

This camera has no design feature in common with the later Princeflex camera made by either Tōyō Seiki Kōgaku or Prince Camera Works.

Description

The Prince Flex looks somewhat like the first Ikoflex "coffee can" model, with a hexagonal front standard. The focusing is done by moving this front standard back and forth. Some sources say that it is controlled by a lever driving a helicoid;[2] however the pictures show no focusing lever but a knob placed on the photographer's left. (The mention of a lever and helicoid is perhaps a confusion with the Ikoflex which has such a lever underneath the front standard.) The film advance is driven by a knob on the right and controlled by red window.

There is a X-shaped rib on the viewing hood, with a small plate at the centre, inscribed Prince Flex. There is another nameplate engraved Neumann & Heilemann at the top of the front plate. The serial number is written above the viewing lens, again on a small plate attached by two screws.

The Prince Flex has a Neotar 75/4.5 taking lens, a Radionar f/3.5 viewing lens and a Perfect shutter by Neumann & Heilemann, giving T, B, 1–300 speeds.

First Japanese 6×6 TLR

The Prince Flex was the first Japanese 6×6 TLR. It was launched in mid-1937, before the Minoltaflex (December). One source says that the camera was released in July.[3] It was first advertised in August and it was featured in the new products column of Asahi Camera in September.[4]

A year previously, the 4.5×6 Hansa Rollette Ref had been the first TLR-shaped Japanese camera, but the viewing lens was not used for focusing.[5] The 4.5×6 Roll Light Ref was released in January 1937 but it is not entirely clear if it is a real TLR or a pseudo TLR.[6]

Maker

It is difficult to know exactly who was the maker of the Prince Flex.

The markings on the camera clearly point at Neumann & Heilemann.[7] A rumor says that Neumann & Heilemann merged with the Prince factory and that the Prince Flex was the first resulting product.[8]

Some sources[9] attribute it to Fujimoto, as well as any other camera with the name Prince. This seems to be a confusion originating from the fact the Fujimoto made the Semi Prince folders (see the Prince page).

Advertisements and other documents

An advertisement dated September 1937 for both the Prince Flex and the Semi Prince II [10] does not mention either Neumann & Heilemann (although this name is clearly visible within the illustration of the Prince Flex) or Prince Camera Works, instead merely naming Fukada Shōkai as distributor; however, it does show the stylized P.C.W. logo associated with Prince Camera Works. In this advertisement, the camera is announced as a new product but no price is given yet.

The Prince Flex is advertised until 1939[11], and an advertisement dated January[12] offers the camera for ¥198.

Notes

  1. ↑ Dates: advertisements and articles listed in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 340.
  2. ↑ See Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 12 and this page at yume_camera.
  3. ↑ July: The Japanese Historical Camera, p. 29 (in Japanese and English); Japanese-only version in this page of the JCII.
  4. ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 340.
  5. ↑ The Japanese Historical Camera, p. 23 (in Japanese and English); Japanese-only version in this page of the JCII.
  6. ↑ Date: Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 342, and this page of the JCII.
  7. ↑ The attribution to Neumann & Heilemann is also supported by this page at yume_camera.
  8. ↑ This is mentioned as a rumor in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 340. However Neumann & Heilemann continued to produce shutters under its own name at least until the war. Maybe it was only its camera department that was merged with Prince.
  9. ↑ Including McKeown, p. 331.
  10. ↑ Advertisement published in Asahi Camera, and reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 91.
  11. ↑ Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 340.
  12. ↑ Published in Asahi Camera, reproduced in Kokusan kamera no rekishi, p. 91.

Sources / further reading

  • Asahi Camera (アサヒカメラ) editorial staff. Shōwa 10–40nen kōkoku ni miru kokusan kamera no rekishi (昭和10–40年広告にみる国産カメラの歴史, Japanese camera history as seen in advertisements, 1935–1965). Tokyo: Asahi Shinbunsha, 1994. ISBN 4-02-330312-7. Item 229. (See also the picture p. 12 and the discussion p. 439.)
  • Lewis, Gordon, ed. The History of the Japanese Camera. Rochester, N.Y.: George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography & Film, 1991. ISBN 0-935398-17-1 (paper), 0-935398-16-3 (hard). Pp. 39 and 54 (brief mentions only).
  • McKeown, James M. and Joan C. McKeown's Price Guide to Antique and Classic Cameras, 12th Edition, 2005-2006. USA, Centennial Photo Service, 2004. ISBN 0-931838-40-1 (hardcover). ISBN 0-931838-41-X (softcover). P. 331.
  • The Japanese Historical Camera. 2nd ed. Tokyo: JCII Camera Museum, 2004.
  • Sugiyama, Kōichi (杉山浩一); Naoi, Hiroaki (直井浩明); Bullock, John R. The Collector's Guide to Japanese Cameras. 国産カメラ図鑑 (Kokusan kamera zukan). Tokyo: Asahi Sonorama, 1985. ISBN 4-257-03187-5. Item 2019.
  • Watakushi no ni-gan-refu kamera-ten (私の二眼レフカメラ展, Exhibition of twin lens reflex cameras). Tokyo: JCII Camera Museum, 1992. (Exhibition catalogue, no ISBN number.) P. 25.

Links

In Japanese:

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